Interaction. 

 As an instructional designer, I know that learner interaction is very important.  To be effective I must do more than just dump good content into a slide deck, or on a webpage, and call it a good lesson.  But what is the difference between interactivity that enhances good content, and interactivity that is a distraction?  

Before you read my analysis of two webpages with some interactive components, add your thoughts to the word clouds below ⬇️

Returning to the question, what makes quality iteractions... 

In the Walden University Instructional Design and Technology "Stories from the Field" series, Aimee Perez, an instructional designer who is also a Walden Graduate student, shares a couple of guidelines she uses for designing eLearning.  #1 is to go longer than 5 minutes  in web based content before asking the learner to do something (polls, view infographic, activity, etc.), and #2 is to make sure every interactivity has a purpose.   This solid advice lines up with what I hear from other experienced designers. 

And what does the research say?   There are studies to support that as online education grows that  interactivity is one factor in attracting and retaining students in online courses and programs,  (Moreillion, 2015), that interactive mobile based learning environments are highly effective for learning new languages (Rogti, 2024), and that a hypermedia environment where learners have control over their learning journey, both in the single interactions, and in how they navigate the content, can increase learner motivation and effective learning transfer, IF they have sufficient prior knowledge and support. (Mayer, 2014).  With these concepts in mind, I viewed two websites from our course's suggested resources, to observe the effectiveness of interactivity, and what could be improved.  After you read my analysis, I want to know what you think.  

Click the images below to view the analysis of each page. 

👉🏼 Tip:  Right click on the image and select "open in a new tab" if you don't want to lose this spot. 

DeStefano , D. , & LeFevre , J.-A. ( 2007 ). Cognitive load in hypertext reading: A review. Computers in Human Behavior 23 , 1616–1641 

Mayer, R. E. (2014). The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. Cambridge University Press.

Chapter 21, “The Learner Control Principle in Multimedia Learning

Download The Learner Control Principle in Multimedia Learning

” (pp. 487–512)

The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning, 2nd Edition by Mayer, R. Copyright 2014 by Cambridge University Press. Reprinted by permission of Cambridge University Press via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2024.

Moreillon, J. (2015). Increasing interactivity in the online learning environment: Using digital tools to support students in socially constructed meaning-making. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 59(3), 41–47. doi:10.1007/s11528-015-0851-0

Rogti, M. (2024). The effect of mobile-based interactive multimedia on thinking engagement and cooperation.  International Journal of Instruction, 17(1), 673–696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2024.17135a

Walden University, LLC. (2024). Stories from the field 

 [Video]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com